1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a curling iron. More particularly, the present invention relates to a curling iron including a releasable clamp permitting the user to style hair with or without the presence of the clamp on the curling iron.
2. Background of the Related Art
Heated hair may be smoothed, manipulated, and styled more easily that non-heated hair. There are numerous hair styling tools and appliances for heated styling of hair including curling irons having a variety of features. Curling irons are intended to impart a curl or pattern to hair being styled by sufficiently heating a barrel or mandrel of the curling iron and restraining the hair in physical contact with the barrel. A section of hair is typically wound around the heated barrel of the curling iron and held in contact with the heated barrel for a period of time. Heat from the heated barrel reforms plastic bonds in the hair. When the heat styled hair is removed from the heated barrel, the hair retains the shape of the curling iron's barrel.
One conventional curling iron utilizes a clamp to hold hair in place along the barrel of the curling iron. The clamp secures a starting section of hair with subsequent windings of the hair being wound on top of the clamp and the barrel, locking the clamp against the barrel. Thus, the hair must be unwound to release the clamp. Unfortunately, unwinding the hair from the barrel reduces the set of the curl and the precision of the set.
In recent years, clampless curling irons have become available. A clampless curling iron provides additional flexibility and benefits over conventional curling irons including, e.g., the ability to wrap hair directly over the barrel while keeping the barrel stationary, eliminating creases and crimps in the hair associated with the clamp, and enabling the curling iron to get closer to the roots thereby creating an increased volume in the curl.